Black Lung Benefits Bill Drastically Lowers Bar for Miner Survivor Claims, Funds Legal Fees

The Relief for Survivors of Miners Act of 2025 is a major overhaul of the Black Lung Benefits Act, specifically targeting how survivors of coal miners claim benefits. Simply put, this bill makes it significantly easier for a miner’s family to prove that the miner’s death was caused by pneumoconiosis (black lung disease) and secure financial support.

The Burden of Proof Just Got Lighter

If you’re a survivor filing a claim, the most important change is how the law handles the cause of death. Under the current system, if a miner worked in a coal mine for at least 10 years, it’s presumed their death was due to black lung. This bill doesn’t just keep that presumption; it makes it nearly impossible to defeat. The presumption can now only be overturned by proving that no part of the miner’s death was caused by pneumoconiosis. Think about that: if the disease contributed even slightly, the claim stands. For families facing a complicated medical history, this drastically reduces the legal fight. Furthermore, the bill restores eligibility rules that existed before 1981, meaning survivors of miners who were totally disabled by black lung during their life are now eligible for benefits, regardless of what the death certificate says.

Trust Fund to Front Legal Costs in Long Disputes

Anyone who has dealt with a complex workers’ compensation claim knows the process can drag on forever, racking up legal and medical bills. This bill creates a new program, managed by the Secretary of Labor, to address this bottleneck. If a claim becomes “contested” and hasn’t been finalized within a year—what the bill calls a “qualifying claim”—the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund will temporarily pay certain claimant costs. Specifically, the fund will cover approved attorney fees (up to $4,500 total) and reasonable, unreimbursed medical expenses used to prove the case (up to $3,000 total). This is a game-changer for families who need to hire experts or pay for specialized testing but can’t afford to wait years for reimbursement. The catch? If the claim is ultimately successful, the responsible coal mining operator must reimburse the Trust Fund for every dollar paid out, shifting the ultimate financial burden back to the industry.

Asking the Hard Questions About Current Benefits

Beyond the immediate changes to the benefits process, the bill mandates that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct three important studies within the first year. The GAO will look into whether current benefit payments are actually sufficient to cover the expenses of miners and survivors, and what the economic impact of increasing those payments might be. They’ll also study the stressful practice of “recoupment.” If a miner or survivor receives interim payments while their claim is pending but the claim is eventually denied, the government tries to get that money back. The GAO will examine the financial and emotional impact this threat of recoupment has on beneficiaries, and whether the process is even cost-effective for taxpayers. These studies could lay the groundwork for future legislation aimed at boosting the actual dollar amount of the benefits and easing the financial stress during the claims process.